Many businesses, when managing their websites, pay insufficient attention to image alt text in articles, often falling into common pitfalls. This not only fails to enhance the content but can also harm user experience and search engine understanding. This article analyzes the most frequent issues and offers correct approaches.
Mistake 1: Empty Alt Text or Using Default Filenames
Some editors upload images and leave the system-generated filenames (e.g., "265789.jpg") or simply skip filling in the alt attribute. This misses the opportunity for images to be indexed by search engines and leaves users with no information when images fail to load. The correct practice is to write a brief, descriptive text for each image, such as "Laptop repair service step diagram."
Mistake 2: Keyword Stuffing, Ignoring Actual Content
For SEO purposes, some operators cram multiple keywords into alt text, like "website building | corporate website | web design | web development," making it unnatural and often unrelated to the image. Search engines can detect this spammy behavior, potentially lowering rankings. Alt text should faithfully describe the image in one or two sentences, naturally incorporating relevant keywords.
Mistake 3: Redundant Descriptions, Turning into Paragraphs
Alt text is not a detailed caption or article summary. Some editors write lengthy paragraphs with formatting and explanations, deviating from the purpose of a "brief description." Typically, alt text should be around 10-20 words, clearly conveying what the image shows at a glance.
Mistake 4: Disconnected from the Main Content
Alt text should relate to the surrounding text. For example, if an article discusses steps for revamping a corporate website and includes a workflow diagram, writing "beautiful scenery" as alt text confuses users. Each image's alt text must align with the context to help users better understand the article.
Mistake 5: Neglecting Decorative Images
Some articles use decorative images like icons, borders, or dividers. Without alt text, search engines cannot understand their purpose. It's best to write a very brief description, such as "divider icon" or "service process icon," which doesn't affect user experience and aids structured data recognition.
Mistake 6: Not Updating Alt Text for Old Images
After a website redesign or content update, images may be reused without modifying their alt text. For instance, an image originally labeled "2019 team photo" used on a "2024 corporate culture" page with outdated alt text can mislead users. Whenever migrating or reusing images, always review and update the alt text.
Summary of Best Practices
- Every image must have an alt attribute with concise, accurate descriptions.
- Avoid over-optimization; naturally include 1-2 relevant keywords.
- Keep alt text consistent with the main content to aid user understanding.
- Decorative images should also have brief alt text.
- Regularly check alt text in old articles to ensure it matches current content.
Writing good alt text is not complicated but requires attention to detail. Following these principles ensures images truly serve the content, enhancing the website's overall professionalism and usability.
